Thursday, November 17, 2011

Pumpkin Butter

Yay for pumpkin butter success!
I had a ton of pumpkins and have been itching to make some pumpkin butter. I had never made any before, but knew I wanted to keep it healthier by not adding a bunch of sugar.
Long story short, the first trial turned out less than delicious. It wasn't smooth, it was too spicy and didn't have that rich pumpkin flavor I wanted. I put it in the freezer, so that I can add some coconut milk and turn it into pumpkin pies next week.

After some trouble shooting, I tried again a couple of days later.

I figured out what was wrong the first go round:
-I used my immersion blender to puree the pumpkin, which is on it's last leg and didn't get it as smooth as it should be. This time, I blended in my magic bullet before hand.
-I used pretty much every spice that reminded me of the holidays and went way overboard. This time, I kept it simple, so the pumpkin could shine.
-I didn't cook it long enough for fear of burning and I left the top on the entire time. This time, I cooked it longer and left the lid ajar, so it could really thicken up.

Let me tell you, the trial and error of this butter was worth it!
Enjoy with these Pumpkin Biscuits!

Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer with lid ajar for about 45 minutes or until desired thickness is reached. Stir frequently while simmering.

The pumpkin butter bubbles and pops quite a bit, so be very careful. I use a pot holder to protect my hand while stirring.

Remove from heat and transfer to jars or cool and store in container in the fridge.
Enjoy with biscuits, toast, bread or straight off the spoon!

*Note about canning for future use*
It's recommended by the USDA that you don't can pumpkin/pumpkin butter because it's so dense, so use your own discretion.
To give as gifts, I would be sure the recipient knew to keep it refrigerated. It's so good, they'll want to enjoy it right away anyhow!

I jarred some of the butter and paired it with homemade Pumpkin Biscuits to share with family and friends.Pin It

Thanks, I'll be looking out for yours. So many different versions, it's interesting to see everyone's take on it.You can use brown sugar instead of sucanat. Sucanat is a healthier version of that, but your final taste and product will turn out the same.